Waste container



Dec. 31, 1963 H. M. GROFF WASTE CONTAINER Filed May 14, 1962 J u 1 /c VENTO #47022 M. 675/ M/a. m

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,115,986 WASTE CONTAlNER Harold M. Graft, 3204 46th St., Penusauken, NJ. Filed May 14, 1962, Ser. No. 194,520 2 Claims. (Cl. 22063) This invention relates generally to waste containers, and is especially concerned with waste containers of the type adapted to have a replaceable liner.

Heretofore in the use of waste containers having replaceable liners, difficulty has been experienced in the removal of the liner and supporting the same from beneath, especially in the use of paper liners or bags likely to become weakened from the weight and moisture of contained refuse.

Accordingly, it is 'an object of the present invention to provide a waste container of the type described wherein a liner is effectively supported at its bottom and on all sides during the accumulation of waste, and which in its full condition may be quickly and easily removed for discard with the bottom fully supported in a neat and efficient manner.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide 'a waste container of the type described wherein a flexible receptacle or liner may be quickly and conveniently inserted in the container, as well as removed therefrom in the full condition.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a waste container having the advantageous charactenistics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which is simple and durable in construction, efficient, reliable and sanitary throughout a long useful life, and which can be economically manufactured for sale at a reasonable price.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view showing a waste container of the present invention, partly broken away for purposes of illustration;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the instant waste container;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 1, with the cover removed; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevational view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the receptacle retainer being withdrawn upwardly.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the waste container of the present invention is generally designated in FIGURE 1, and includes a lower part 11 in the nature of a pan or tray adapted to rest on a supporting surface or floor. An upstanding open-ended retainer 12 has its lower end seated in the pan or tray 11 and is provided on its upper end with a removable cover or lid 13. Interiorly of the retainer 12 is a receptacle 14 in the nature of a bag and fabricated of suitable flexible material.

More specifically, see FIGURE 2, the tray or pan 11 includes a generally flat bottom wall 16 of rectangular or other polygonal configuration adapted to seat flat on a supporting floor surface. Extending peripherally about the bottom wall 16 of the tray 11 are a plurality of upstanding side walls 17. One or more of the side walls 17 may be provided with detent elements, such as depres- 3,115,986 Patented Dec. 31, 1963 sions 18, shown as formed on the inner surfaces of a pair of opposed side walls.

Provided exteriorly on one or more tray side walls may be an outstanding foot press 19, in the nature of an ear or tab to be stepped on by a user for a purpose appearing presently.

The retainer 12 is of tubular, open-ended construction being formed of a plurality of upstanding side walls 21 connected together in edge-to-edge relation to define a polygonal cross-sectional configuration similar to that of the tray 11. In the assembled condition, the tubular, open-ended retainer 12 has its lower end closely conformably engaged within the peripheral side walls 17 of the tray 11; and, complementary detent elements 22 may be provided exteriorly on retainer walls 21 at the lower region thereof for frictional interfitting engagement with the detent elements 18 of the tray. The retainer 12 is thus detachably secured in its upstanding relation seated on and received within the tray 11.

The upper region of the retainer 12 may be provided with handholds or grip means of any suitable construction, say through openings or holes 23 located in an opposite pair of retainer walls 21 adjacent to the upper end edges thereof.

The receptacle 14 may consist of a conventional paper bag, say in the nature of a grocery shopping bag and is openable to provide a bottom wall 25, and peripherally extending side walls 26. In the assembled relation, the receptacle 14 has its lower end or bottom wall 25 resting on the bottom wall 16 of tray 11, and the receptacle side walls 26 are engageable with and retained by the retainer side walls 21.

The assembled condition of tray 1I1, retainer 12 and receptacle 14 is illustrated in FIGURE 3, the receptacle there being shown as containing a quantity of refuse or waste 27. In this condition, the assembly is entirely stable on a supporting floor surface, the filled receptacle 14 resting directly on the fiat bottom wall 16 of tray 11, and the retainer 12 having its lower end region detachably secured to the tray by the releasable holding means or detent elements 18 and 22. When it is desired to discard the receptacle 14 and contained refuse 27, a users foot 29, see FIGURE 4, may be placed on the foot press or tab 19 to hold the tray 11 fiat on the supporting floor surface. The open-ended tubular retainer 12 may then be withdrawn upwardly, the operator conveniently grasping the retainer at its upper end by the hand-receiving holes 23, and exerting sufiicient force to overcome the holding action of the detent elements 18 and 22. The retainer 12 is then readily slidable upward beyond the receptacle 14 to the position shown in FIGURE 4. The tray 11 may then be picked up, as by the tab 19 or otherwise, and serve to safely support the receptacle 14 on the underside thereof for sanitary portability of the receptacle to a point of discard.

The above-described procedure may then be repeated. the retainer 12 being assembled as described hereinbefore with the tray 11, and a replacement receptacle or bag 14 engaged in the assembled tray and retainer. In use, it may be desired to cover the open upper end of the retainer 12 and receptacle 14, which may be accomplished by the closure or cover 13-. The cover 13 may consist of a generally flat, polygonal top wall 31 having peripherally extending, depending side walls 32 which removably engage about the upper end region of the retainer 12. A handle 33 may be provided on the upper side of the cover or lid 13 to facilitate removal and replacement of the latter with respect to the retainer.

The several parts, namely the tray 11, retainer 12 and cover 13 may be fabricated of any suitable materials, such as plastic, metal, or otherwise.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a waste container which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and .usev

Although the present invention has beendescribed in some detail by wayv ofillustration and example for purposes of-clanity of understanding, it istunderstood that certain changes and modifications. may be made within the spirit of'the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A waste container comprising a generally rectangular trayhavinga bottom wall and upstanding peripherally extending side walls, an upstanding open-ended tubular retainer of rectangular cross-sectional configuration having its lower end removably and conformably engaged in said tray, a flexible open-topreceptacle seated on said tray and received in said retainer, said retainer being withdrawable upward out of said tray and receptacle-receiving relation, releasably interengageable frictional holding means on said tray and retainer for releasably holding means on said tray and retainer for releasably holding said retainer against said upward withdrawal, a foot press on said tray for holding the latter down against the force of said holding means upon upward withdrawal of said retainer, and handgrip means providedon said retainer for manually eifecting said upward withdrawal, said tray thereby serving to sustain the underside of a loaded receptacle for discard.

2. A waste container according to claim 1, in combination with a cover engaged in covering relation over the upper end of said retainer and freely removable therefrom without release o-fsaid holding means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A WASTE CONTAINER COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR TRAY HAVING A BOTTOM WALL AND UPSTANDING PERIPHERALLY EXTENDING SIDE WALLS, AN UPSTANDING OPEN-ENDED TUBULAR RETAINER OF RECTANGULAR CROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION HAVING ITS LOWER END REMOVABLY AND CONFORMABLY ENGAGED IN SAID TRAY, A FLEXIBLE OPEN-TOP RECEPTACLE SEATED ON SAID TRAY AND RECEIVED IN SAID RETAINER, SAID RETAINER BEING WITHDRAWABLE UPWARD OUT OF SAID TRAY AND RECEPTACLE-RECEIVING RELATION, RELEASABLY INTERENGAGEABLE FRICTIONAL HOLDING MEANS ON SAID TRAY AND RETAINER FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID RETAINER AGAINST SAID UPWARD WITHDRAWAL, A FOOT PRESS ON SAID TRAY FOR HOLDING THE LATTER DOWN AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID HOLDING MEANS UPON UPWARD WITHDRAWAL OF SAID RETAINER, AND HANDGRIP MEANS PROVIDED ON SAID RETAINER FOR MANUALLY EFFECTING SAID UPWARD WITHDRAWAL, SAID TRAY THEREBY SERVING TO SUSTAIN THE UNDERSIDE OF A LOADED RECEPTACLE FOR DISCARD. 